Story of an Irish Lass
by JosiahGirl
Summary: Second Prequel in my Series, follows Mills life from the time she came to America till her first meeting with Kit.
1. Step on to a New World

It had been a horrible trip over. They must have hit every storm between Ireland and New York. Kaitlyn O'Riely was close to joining her baby brother and her two sisters in tears. Ma had died giving birth to the baby on the first week of their trip. Katie hadn't been sure that they would survive to see Ellis Island. Da and Shawn, her older brother never got their sea legs so it had been up to Katie to ensure that all of them had enough to eat and drink. The burden had almost been to much for the 8 year old girl but now they were in New York City like Da had promised and Katie was sure that Da would be up to at least helping her take care of the three little ones.   
  
The first mate come down to steerage and began to gather families together to get them off his boat. Da had barely gotten his feet under him and was still shaky but was determined to get off the boat by his own power. He leaned heavily on Katie who was holding the baby had the little sisters clinging to her skirts. "Katie girl you ready to see your new home?" her Da's Irish brogue was comforting. "Shawn Michel help your sister with the babes."   
  
The older boy looked like he would have rather done anything but that, yet he did reach down and pick up the younger of the two girls, Niamh, while he took Meara's hand. He looked back at Katie, "Ya gonna come or do you wanna get left behind?" Katie gave him a hurt look as she hiked the baby into a better position and followed him out into the open air.   
  
The deck of the boat was crowded and Katie grabbed onto her fathers pants to keep from losing him in the crowd. Katie was short for her age and her biggest fear was losing her father. They stood on the deck for what seemed like hours and the baby began to cry for food. Liam looked at his daughter, "Katie-girl give me the babe." Katie was glad to get rid of the extra burden of the baby and turned to Shawn and took Meara's hand. The family of six finally made it off the boat with their possessions and selves intact.   
  
An immigration official came up to them. "You speak English?" He asked in slow clear voice.   
"Aye we do." Liam answered.  
"Name."   
"Liam O'Riely."   
"Country where you come from."   
"Ireland, Dublin." Liam answered effortlessly.   
  
"Good these kids all yours sir?" The official asked as he prepared his pencil to write.   
"Aye, they are."   
  
"You have a wife?"   
"Not any more she passed on." Liam kept his feelings in check.  
  
"Do youse have family here in New York?"   
"Aye me brother and his wife live in Manhattan."   
  
"Okay youse and the boy go over there and the goils are going to go to that woman there. They will meet youse on the other side of the fence. Next."   
  
Liam knelt down to Katie's eye level. "Katie-girl you are gonna hafta take care of the wee ones till we get on the other side of that gate. Remember what you and your ma talked about before we left? This is what you were practicing for. That nice lady there is gonna look you all over to make sure you are healthy. Then we are gonna go find your Uncle Shamus and Cousin Bryon."  
  
Katie nodded and motioned for her sisters to take a hold of her skirt as she went to stand in the line for the medical treatment. All three of the children were restless and grouchy as the wait seemed to last forever. Finally they were at the beginning of the line. The new Immigrant Official looked over her glasses to the young girl with 3 children.   
"Next? What do we have here? What's your name?"  
"Kaitlyn Elizabeth O'Riely." Katie gave her full name just like her ma had told her.  
  
"Well Kaitlyn, where is your mother?" The nurse looked disapprovingly at the child.   
"She died giving me a baby brother."   
The nurse's face soften for a moment. "Well lets get a good look at you all. What are your sisters and brother's names?"   
"Niamh Martha and Meara Ruth. Da hasn't named the barren yet." Katie hitched the baby up in her arms again.   
  
"So it is Nia Martha and Mara Ruth?" Katie nodded barely noticing the woman had mispronounced her sisters' names. "Well lets look you all over. May I have the baby?"   
The nurse reached for the boy and Katie hesitantly gave him over to her. "Well he is a bit undernourished but your pa will fix that I am sure." She then checked the younger girls, both she passed with out a second thought. Katie was the last one she looked over. "Well Kaitlyn you and your siblings are all quite healthy. Welcome to New York City." She tied some slips of paper to Katie's shirt and pointed them to where they were going to go next.   
  
No one has ever said that getting into the United States was easy and many people that have tried never made it past those iron gates but Katie and her family fought the odds and made it. Katie stood with her siblings by the gates waiting for her father and Shawn to emerge from the confines of the quarantine gates. Finally she heard her father's voice over the crowd. "Kaitlyn Elizabeth O'Riely where are you?"   
  
"Da? Shawn? We are over here!" Her voice barely carried over the crowd but suddenly the wall of humanity parted and there was her father. He lifted the little girls into his arms and instructed Katie to grab onto the familiar belt loop of his pants.   
  
"I've found your Aunt and Uncle girl and they are very, very excited to see you." Liam called over his shoulder to her as they wove they way through the crowd. Katie just nodded and held on to her father until finally they reached the edge of the crowd.  
  
"Liam you found them. Good, so you are Kaitlyn Elizabeth. Girl you look just like your mama when she was your age. Let me see all you children" Elaine, Katie's aunt fawned over her niece, as she took the baby out of Katie's arms. Her brogue wasn't as strong as Liam's it had yet to be taken over by the New York accent that Katie was hearing in the native men and women.   
  
"My goodness Liam you have a bonnie bunch of barren's my sister would be proud." Shamus said to his brother. "I'd like you to meet your cousin, Bryon. He is about Shawn here's age." Shamus pushed forward a young man with red hair and bright blue eyes.  
  
"So you be the cousins me Da is always talking about. I be Bryon O'Riely and don't you be forgetting that." His face suddenly broke into a smile, "So you two ready to see the real City?"   
  
Both Katie and Shawn nodded but before they could run off with Bryon, Liam called out to them. "Katie-girl I need some help with the wee ones, don't go running off now." Katie faces squelched into disgust but she slowly walked back to where her father was standing, forcing to not look back to where her brother and cousin were running off to without her. She took the baby from Elaine's hands and began to slowly follow the adults as they headed off to their new home.   



	2. Blow One

Katie tiredly sat at the kitchen table looking around at the apartment that had been her home for the past two years. Joseph had finally fallen asleep for the night, but not after putting up a fight that Katie was sure was of the devil. Mara and Nia had gone to spend the night at the McManus's, a family that lived on the same floor three doors down. Katie was now waiting up for her father and Shawn to come home from their jobs at the factory.   
  
The room that at one time had seemed to be a palace with an electric light and real windows was now a prison. She was entangled in a snare of dirty laundry, dishes and children. Her Aunt Elaine helped when she could but it wasn't enough and at time Katie was ready to scream. The work was getting to be too much for the young girl to whom it never seemed to end.   
  
It was getting late and soon Liam and Shawn would be home and she hadn't even put together a meal for them. Joseph had decided that at two he was too old for a nap and now Katie had even more to worry about as she would have to keep him entertained as she attempted to run a household much to large for her. She rose from her seat at the table with a groan and softly began to put together the meager fixings of a meal trying very hard not to wake Joseph.  
  
The watery soup and hard bread would make a very poor meal but at the moment that was all her tired mind could prepare. Sitting back at the table she let her head fall forward onto her arms and slowly drifted off in the oblivion of a weary sleep.  
  
A persistent knocking woke both Katie and Joseph. Joseph stated crying cross that someone had dared to wake him before he was ready. Katie moved to the bed and picked him up to comfort him and then went to the door.   
  
A strange man in a uniform stood there, "Youse mudder here goil?" The man barked.  
Katie pulled back moving Joseph to her hip before answering. "Me ma died 2 years back why do you wanna see her?"   
  
The man's face softened momentarily "Ise sorry goil. You and youse brudder have family to stay with?"   
Katie was confused, "Yes our Uncle Shamus."  
  
"Well Ise gonna have to take youse to him." He reached for her arm as Katie moved out of his grasp.  
"Why should I, Me sisters ain't home. Me Da should be home from work soon. Can't you wait for him?"   
  
The man looked uncomfortable, "Where are youse sisters?"  
Katie's eyes clouded with suspicion, "why should I tell you?"   
"Because Ise got ta take youse to youse uncle's." The man said stepping into the apartment.   
  
"I don't know you from Adam, but if you wanna take me and me sisters and brother to me uncle you betta have a reason for it. Me Da ain't gonna be happy if we ain't here when he gets back from his work." Katie side stepped the man's grasp again.  
  
"Goil your father ain't coming home."   
Katie stopped to see if she had heard the man right. "Me Da ain't coming home. Of course he is."  
  
"No goil he ain't youse father was involved in an accident at work, a machine over heated and exploded. Ise sorry goil your father is dead." The man forced the words out quickly as if saying them that way would lessen the blow of them.   
  
Katie took a step back and began to shake her head, "No you are mistaken Da is gonna be home soon and you are wrong."   
"Ise right, youse father is Liam O'Riely right?" Katie barely nodded, "Do youse know a Shawn O'Riely?" Katie nodded again. "Youse brother was taken to the hospital on the hill with some injuries. Ise gonna take youse to your uncle's house." The man took Katie's arm and she didn't resist. "Where does he live goil?"  
  
"The tenant house near the World building." Katie responded morosely.  
"Well then wes going there. Where are youse sisters?"   
"McManus's I gonna leave them there and pick them up in the morning."   
"Well then lets go goil." The man slowly lead the girl and her baby brother out into the hallway and down the stairs to the street. Katie was in shock and it barely registered that she was moving.   
  
They reached the tenement house by the World building with out much of an incedent. "What floor goil?"   
"Second."   
They ascended the stairs and stopped in front of the room that Katie figured was her uncle's apparment. Elaine opened the door on the first knock.  
  
"Ma'am sorry to disturb youse but is this goil your man's niece?" The man pulled Katie up into the light where Elaine saw them.   
"Yes that is Shamus' brother Liam's daughter and son. Has she done something wrong sir?"   
  
"No ma'am but Ise regret to inform you that you're brother-in-law Liam O'Riely died this afternoon in an explosion this afternoon. Seeing as your husband and youse are these children's only living relatives they is gonna have to stay here." The man then pushed Katie and Joseph into the room and was gone before Elaine could respond.  
  
Elaine turned to Katie. "Well this is a fine kettle of fish, I can't very well take care of all of youse. Ise guess youse and Shawn are gonna have to both work. How old are youse girl, 8, 9."   
  
"I am 10 Aunt Elaine. Wouldn't you rather I stay and care for Joseph and the little girls?" Katie stood back fearfully waiting for her response.  
  
"Taking care of Joseph, Mara and Nia will be your job but I am gonna expect youse to help around here too. No slacking off like you did at home. Got it?" Elaine spoke with some steal in her voice, Katie nodded. "Well you can put Joseph down on a pallet there. And then you can help me fix Shamus and Bryon's meal. I am sure you have already eaten for the day haven't you?" Katie nodded again and after putting Joseph down on the pallet, he had fallen asleep on the walk over, she turned her attention to helping cook dinner for her uncle and cousin.   
  
Shawn hadn't been hurt bad in the explosion, his arm was broke but he soon moved into the tiny apartment that soon became their home. Life wasn't going to be easy but Katie believed that nothing worse could happen to her family. And she believed this with all her heart.   



	3. Blow Two

A year had passed since the death of Liam O'Riely. His brother Shamus and his wife Elaine had taken in Liam's five children. The tiny apartment had become even tinier since they had moved in. The winter had been hard, Elaine had gotten the flu around Christmas and had never really recovered. More and more of the responsibilities of keeping the family fed and clean fell onto the shoulders of 11 year old Katie. Her brother Shawn had joined their cousin Bryon in selling newspapers for the New York Sun. After the first couple of weeks living together and the expected growing pains Elaine had become a confidant for Katie and was a friend. Shamus was the opposite of Liam in personality and was a bit harder for the children to become use to.   
  
The summer sun was beating down on Katie's back as she watched Mara, Nia and Joseph play in the park. Today was one of the very few days that she had gotten out. Elaine had sent them out saying that Joseph was getting on her last nerve and they all wanted to go play at the park. Katie was looking around thinking her brother might be around, he and Bryon had said that Central Park was a great place to sell. As she sat thinking a boy came up to her.   
  
"Hello Miss youse wanna buy a pape? Only a penny." Katie looked up into the sun. The newsie was maybe a year older than she was and but was probably only an inch or so taller than her. He had a red bandana and was holding out his paper to her.   
  
"No thank you, me brudder and cousin are newsies." The boy's face fell but he quickly brightened.  
  
"That's okay. Ise Jack Kelly, so whose youse brudder maybe Ise know him." The boy smiled.  
Katie squinted into the sun, "Shawn and Bryon O'Riely. They both work for the Sun though, your papers are for the World."   
  
"So youse part of the competition." The boy looked angry but quickly broke into a grin when he saw the fear rise in Katie's eyes. "Ise just playing with youse. Ise don't know them though. So what is a goil like youse doing out here?"   
  
"I be watching me little sisters and brother. Me aunt sent us out cause we was giving her a headache." Katie thought then smiled, "Actually only Joseph was giving her a headache, he wanted to go out with Shawn but he wouldn't let him."   
  
"Ise see well I better get back to selling my papes. Nice to meet youse Katie." The boy said as he glanced up and saw another boy with curly brown hair waving at him.   
  
"Same here see you around Jack." Katie watched him go meet his friend. They talked for a second with Jack glancing back over his shoulder momentarily and throwing a smile back at Katie. Katie sat back down and went back to watching her siblings, but her mind was on the newsie, Jack.   
  
He was kinda cute and he acted really nice to her. She wondered if he had a girl but quickly shook that thought out of her head, she didn't even have the time for a boyfriend. She was still lost in thought when a hand was put on her shoulder and she jumped startled.   
  
"What you thinking about so intently, little girl." Katie looked up into the face of Bryon.   
"Nothing, you guys are done for the day?" Katie grinned hopefully.  
  
"Yep we was going home when we saw you sitting over here. Any reason you are sitting out here with the kids and not making my dinner?" Bryon teased.  
Katie hit him in the arm and stuck out her tongue, "Elaine threw us out as for dinner you can make that for your self."   
  
"Sure little girl." Bryon reached out a hand to help Katie up but soon the hand was around her waist as he picked her up and hoisted her over his shoulder. "Hey Shawn I got this one you think she needs a bath?"   
  
Katie kicked her feet and began beating her fists on Bryon's back, "Bryon Robert O'Riely don't you dare." Bryon just laughed, Nia and Mara were protesting in the background, but Katie figured it was out of fear that they would be next rather than out of a desire to help her. Bryon finally lowered her to the ground and rubbed his stomach where some of her kicks had landed, "You know you have some pretty sharp feet girly."   
  
"You shouldn't have done that, boy. Serves you right." Katie said haughtily then took off running toward the apartment.  
  
The children entered the apartment and all noise stopped. Shamus was home. This in and of it self was a bit unusual but what had stopped the children were the tears running down his face. Joseph made the first and walked over to his uncle and climbed up into his lap; slowly reaching up to touch his face. Shamus looked down at his nephew and rested his cheek on his hair.   
  
Everyone stood for what seemed like hours until Bryon cleared his throat, "Da why are you home so early? Where is Mam?"   
  
Shamus lifted up his haunted eyes, "I am home son because of your Mam. She's not coming back boy. Mara can you take your brother and sister up to the roof, I wanna talk to Shawn, Bryon and Katie." Mara nodded and picked up Joseph and then climbed out on to the fire escape to and began going toward the roof.  
  
Shamus waited till they were gone before turning back to the other children. His eyes were hollow, and he looked as if he had aged 10 years before their eyes. "Katie when did you and the babes leave this morning?"   
  
Katie thought for a minute. "Around lunch, Elaine said Joseph was on her last nerve and I should take them to the park."  
"I came home early because some policemen came to my job. They had found a body on the ground outside around 3 this afternoon. It was your aunt. They think she jumped from the roof and killed herself."   
  
The reactions among the children were varied, Bryon felt sick, Shawn audibly gasped and Katie felt the tears weal up in her eyes. Shamus had no response to make for the children. "All I ask is that you donna tell the children how Elaine died." All three nodded and then Katie went to retrieve the children from the roof.  
  
Nothing about Elaine's death was said, the wake and funeral passed with out incident, women from the building would whisper about "those poor children" but always seemed to stop when one of them was around. The load of running the house fell firmly onto Katie's small shoulders, the only lightness came from the fact that her sisters could now help in small ways to keep the small apartment clean and little Joey from getting into too much trouble. Shamus wasted away, his heart broken by the loss of his wife. The only one who could make him smile was Joey but as winter approached again, even that was a task.   
  
The children worked hard, Shawn and Bryon sold as many papers as possible. And despite their youthful faces, they both lied and got jobs at the docks loading and unloading fish in an effort to keep the household from starving. Memories of that fine day in the park had long ago faded into dreams, Katie barely remembered the boy with the bandana or his name. Some how the little family made it through the winter.  



	4. Blow Three and Four

Spring had finally come to New York, Katie was now 12 and been running the apartment like an adult for almost a year. She lost her childish innocence long ago and now spent her days in almost complete exhaustion from answering the never ending questions of 4 year old Joey. Nia and Mara had tired to lift some of the burden but even that was never nearly enough. Katie watched helplessly as her uncle wasted away to skin and bones heartsick for his Elaine. Shawn and Bryon only came home to drop off the rent or food money, they had taken to sleeping outside as to avoid the confusion in the small apartment.   
  
Katie had spent most of the fateful day washing dishes and cleaning clothes, much like any other day. She had sent the children out to play telling them to stick close and not to disturb anyone who was working. The quietness of the apartment was music to the over worked girl's ears. With the children gone the chores seemed to go quickly and soon she was free to have a small bit of time to herself. Katie knew exactly how to spend this time, she curled up on the bed she had claimed when Shawn and Bryon had stopped coming home to sleep and swiftly fell into a deep slumber.  
  
She was awoken by a persistent knocking and after quickly straightening her dress and hair went to answer it. "You know a Shamus O'Riely?" A man in a uniform stood on the other side of the door. The world suddenly became fuzzy as Katie felt she was reliving the night her father died. "We found a Shamus O'Riely passed out on the steps of St. Michael's, I am sorry goil but he is dead." The officer delivered his news and left.   
  
Katie stared after him in disbelief before shutting the door and throwing herself on the bed. She let the tears come knowing that she was going to have to be strong for the children and was not going to be allowed to show weakness in front of her brother or Bryon. No emotion that was going to have to be her mantra, quickly Katie pulled herself of the bed and began to prepare for the return of the children, and because it was pay day Bryon and Shawn.   
  
Her wait wasn't a long one, Bryon and Shawn were the first to appear. They were now both 14 and had begun to enter into the gangly period of their lives. They slunk in as if trying to leave as soon as possible. Katie turned quickly and pinned them with a glare. "Oh no you ain't gonna be leaving me with 3 children to care for myself on my own. Donna take a step to that door." Katie's eyes flashed as she looked at the two boys. She kept her sorrow under control daring they to try to escape.  
  
"What you mean leave youse to care for three kids on youse own, Da is here." Bryon tried to reason. Katie's next words stopped him in his tracks.  
  
"No he is not. Your Da is dead Bryon, I cannae take care of those children on me own. I cannae stay here with them." Katie let more of her Irish brogue seep out, as she became more agitated. "What if the bulls find out there are four children living on their lonesome? What do you think will happen to us? We'll be sent to the orphanages." Katie looked both boys in the eyes daring them to dispute her words.  
  
"We cannae let you stay here Katie, someone is bound to realize Da not being around. I guess we all will be living on the streets." Bryon stated looking at his feet. Shawn's eyes widened at the prospect of his younger siblings on the street, the street would be hard to them, especially Joey, no telling what it would do to any of them.   
  
"No my sisters and brother ain't gonna be living on the streets of this town. We're going to Boston, you can come with us if you wanna Bryon, but I am not letting my family grow up as street rats. In Boston I can lie about my age no one will question me coming into town with 4 children if I am 18 or so. Katie pack the children's things we leave tonight."   
  
Shawn began searching for any money in hopes of finding enough for train tickets, but it was a hopeless search. Bryon said he wasn't going to leave a good paying job and that without his cousins to support he would do just fine. Katie was hesitant but knew that there would be no way for Shawn to raise 3 children and work at the same time. The bundle of meager belongings was finally tied as Nia, Mara and Joey came back home.   
  
"Where we going mama?" Joey tugged on Katie's skirt, she looked at the boy eyes filling with tears before she could stop them.   
"We're going on a trip on a train. It'll be an adventure." Katie laced her voice with as much enthusiasm as possible as she gathered up the last of their meager supplies and put the small boy on her hip. They left the apartment not looking back and headed for the train yards.   
  
  
Katie was scared of trains but hid her fear from her brothers and sisters. They snuck onto the first train they knew to be heading to Boston and settled themselves behind piles of boxes. Soon the train was moving and it lulled them all to sleep. Katie woke up when the train stopped at a station with the sudden urge to use the bathroom. She shook Shawn awake to tell him where she was going and after he mumbled something she got off. She heard the train moving again but even running full speed was unable to catch it. She watched as her siblings got farther away. Nothing could make this day worse, was her only thought as she began walking the tracks hoping to catch another train bound for Boston.  
  
She walked till dawn walking through the pain in hopes that maybe by some weird twist of faith she would find her siblings in Boston. By noon she was tired barely able to put one foot in front of the other. She barely noticed the smell of smoke or it curling around her as she walked.   
  
"Hey you girl what do you think you are doing? Get off these tracks and go home." A man walked up to Katie yelling at her. She stared at him in confusion as she looked at the chaotic scene around her. Twisted metal lay on either side of the track, boxes and barrels littered the ground. A row of boxcars lay on their sides scattered over in a farmer's bean field. "Girl go home to your mother, you can't do anything."  
  
"What happened?" Katie finally managed to get out around the lump in her throat.  
  
"What happened? What do you think happened? The train for Boston derailed." The man looked in time to see the blood drain from her face. "I'm sorry girl you know people on that train?"   
  
Katie barely nodded, "My brother was taking our little sisters to Boston to start over, I missed the train and was going to walk." The facts hit her that she was now alone in the world. She let the tears run down her face as she turned around and began to walk back toward New York City, in hopes that she could find Bryon, her only remaining family.  



	5. Down for the Count

A thin urchin crept up to the fruit cart, the apples gleamed in the late September dawn. A hand reached out and pilfered an apple before thin legs use to running took off running in a zigzag pattern. Finding a hiding place in the nearest alley the urchin sat down to eat her prize. Never before had she been so hungry not even when her family barely had the money to pay for rent. It had been six months since the train accident that had claimed her family's lives and Katie had yet to find her cousin. She had just about given up finding him after she searched the Manhattan and Brooklyn Boroughs without success.   
  
The only thing she was able to find was trouble. She had been successful so far in avoiding the bulls but as winter approached she wondered if her luck was going to be running out with the warm weather. She had lived off of what she had been able to liberate from different carts; but that was going to change as the carts would disappear of the streets with the coming of winter. Katie tried not to think of that as she finished off the apple.   
  
"Hey you where did youse get that apple?" Katie looked up. Above her stood a boy that looked kind of familiar but she couldn't place him.   
"I bought it." Katie was matter of fact in her manner.  
  
The boy looked incredulous, "Where did youse get the money?"   
"I earned it." Katie was scared now but was putting on a good face of not being such.  
  
Before the boy could answer though another voice that Katie had learned to fear stopped him, "I have you now Sullivan." A look of panic crossed the eyes of both Katie and the boy. They had the same reaction and took off running. Katie followed the boy not knowing why but figuring he must have known a good place to hide. She was right as she followed him through a doorway. It was a restaurant and the boy seemed to know people here.   
  
"Hey Jack what youse running from?" an Italian boy stood up from around a table.   
"Snyder who else, if he comes here Ise not here got it, Race?" the boy, Jack said as he scooted under a their table. Katie stood in the doorway looking for a place to hide.   
  
"Sure but what's with the goil?" a boy with curly hair asked.  
"Goil? Mush what goil?" Jack would have said more but Snyder came in then.   
  
Snyder glanced at Katie before snapped his hand down hard on her arm, "Well we've been looking for you for quite a while. This isn't over Sullivan, I will find you." He lead Katie out of the restaurant and into the street.   
  
Jack slowly climbed out from under the table, "What was that about?"   
"Don't know Snyder grabbed the goil who followed youse in and then left." Race shrugged as he returned tore into his sandwich.  
  
"Wonder who she was that Snyder would just take her in like that?" Jack asked to no one in particular.   
"Who cares, she got youse out of trouble ain't it enough?" Race mumbled around the bite.  
  
"Guess so, youse get me a sandwich?" Jack put the girl from his mind.  
"Yep here youse go." Mush passed Jack a half-eaten sandwich.   
  
"Hey where's the rest of it?" Jack was a bit outraged.  
Mush shrugged, "Ise hungry and didn't know if youse gonna show up so Ise ate some of it."   
"Youse bummer, always thinking with youse stomach." Jack mumbled as he ate what was left of his lunch.  
  
Katie knew that this wasn't good. Snyder led her on the streets, guiding her with a heavy hand on her shoulder towards the end of her freedom, the Refuge. The iron gates opened with a creak and slammed shut with ominous finality. Snyder took her to his office to process her.   
  
"Empty your pockets." Katie didn't have much to empty so the processing went quickly.  
"Name?" "Katie Kelly."   
"Age?" "13"   
"Where are your parents?" "They've been dead for 3 years."   
"Any family?" "No they all died too."   
"Fine then you will be staying here till the court sentences you." Snyder voice was sickenly pleasant as he took Katie to the girl's side of the Refuge. "You will come when the bells are rung for your meals and when the lights go out you are expected to be in bed asleep." He began to drone on about the rules of the place but Katie tuned him out. She really didn't think she would be here all that long, what did they have on her? "This is where you are going to sleep. Change out of those clothes and into a uniform. Dinner will be in 15 minutes."   
  
Katie heard the door slam shut behind her and she went to the bed that was to be hers. No one looked up from what they were doing as she walked to her new sleeping place. She pushed on the bed and felt the mattress sink towards the ground, the ropes squeaking in protest of the movement. Her only thought was that it was at least warmer than a park bench. She quickly slipped into her dress and followed the other girls leads when the bell rang, lining up and waiting for the female warden, Mrs. Hall come to dismiss them.   
  
The week leading up to Katie's "trial" went by slowly, the girls in the Refuge were all cold to the girl. She wasn't included in the hierarchy, which was fine by Katie who really didn't care what the other girls thought about her. On the day of the trial Katie was provided with a dress and was expected to have brushed her hair, which she did.  
  
"The City of New York vs. Katie Kelly."  
"What did this one do?" The judge said as Katie came before him.  
"She is an accomplished pickpocket that I am sure I can rehabilitate if I was given the chance." Snyder responded with a false look of concern.   
  
"How long do you think you'll need?" The judge asked.  
"I am sure that the city will benefit the most if she is kept until her 21st birthday." Snyder was incredibly considerate in his tone, full of a piety that Katie knew wasn't true.  
  
"Fine I sentence you, Katie Kelly to the rehabilitation at the Refuge until your 21st birthday." The judge slammed his gavel down on the bench and called out, "Next case."   
  
Katie stared from the judge to Snyder in disbelief, 8 years for stealing an apple. Snyder looked down at her with a positively lecherous look in his eye. She was taken back to the Refuge in the black carriage she had come in and sent back to her bunk. Before she could leave though Snyder pulled her to the side, "Your job starts tomorrow at 5 be up and dressed or some one will do it for you."   
  
The next two years passed by with relentless monotony. Katie was assigned to a thread mill and chained to a machine for 12-14 hours a day. The air always was filled with lint and dust that was caused by the machines and the endless winding of thread. Her shoulder length hair was cut close to her head for safety and giving her a more boyish appearance. The winters were freezing cold, her toes and fingers would be numb and many times blue but shoes weren't allowed because of the danger of slipping they posed.   
  
Katie never gained friends even though she listened to the rumor mill and there were some interesting rumors. The first rumor was that the boy she had followed the day she had been caught had also been brought in. Then the day that the governor had visited he had gotten out by ridding out on the underside of the governor's carriage. Most of the girls were caught up in how cute Sullivan, or Cowboy, was and how they wished they could date him. Katie normally turned up her nose at that idea, even though to herself she did agree.  
  
The summer of her second year something big did happen. First there was a rumor that the newsies in Manhattan were striking. Then a new guy was brought in, a gimp and he was assigned to cleaning Snyder's office. One of the girls then brought the news that Cowboy had been caught along with a lot of the other Manhattan newsies, and one from Brooklyn. Some big wig made bail for all the newsies except for Cowboy who was sentenced to the Refuge until he turned 21. This perked Katie's interest, as far as she knew there were very few lifers at the Refuge, maybe she would get to thank Cowboy for getting her put in her.   
  
She never got the chance. Less than a week everything came to a head. The governor came back to the Refuge with papers to free all of the children and arrest Snyder. Suddenly Katie found herself back on the streets. Her only thought was getting lost in the streets before they realized they released kids they shouldn't have. She cut her hair close again, and stole a pair of boy's clothes off of a passing line. Slipping into an alley to change, she soon bundled up her clothes from the refuge and walked out of the alley a new person. Intent on enjoying her new found freedom to its fullest extent.   
  
AN: No you are not imagining it I had 2 updates in less than 4 days. Hope you are enjoying this series, not much more angst left in this story. Just some fun stuff, I hope. I know I went through 2 years really quickly, I am sorry. If you haven't already go read the new chapter in A Shot in the Dark. I updated that one too, I got rid of the note and replaced it with a full-blown chapter. *Grins with pride* Oh and I have some chapters for the story about Kit and the boys written but I want to get more done before I start posting, either that or finish one of the stories I have started. *Sheepish look* well anyway enough of my ramblings. Please Read and Review, I like those. Bye *waves then skips off into the darkness* 


	6. New Name

As Katie walked she debated on what she could do now. She got a good look at herself as she passed some windows. She didn't look totally male but if no one was looking hard she was sure she would pass for male, at least until she could find a job a girl would do. Confident her disguise would work she went on her way on the look out for anything that held the possibility of a cool job. She wasn't watching where she was going and suddenly found herself on her butt on the ground. "Hey what's the big idea?" As she picked herself off the ground she shouted.   
  
"What youse mean what's the big idea youse ran into me." Katie looked up and took a step back; she could almost place the boy. He had black hair and dark eyes, and the complexion of an Italian.   
  
"Now Race the guys trembling like a leaf no need to scare him." Katie turned her head to the speaker, a large guy with curly brown hair and the cutest puppy dog eyes she had ever seen. "Hey Ise Mush. Who youse be?"   
  
"I-I-Ise Shane." Katie struggled for an answer and said the first name that popped into her head.   
  
"Well Shane what youse doing not watching where youse going?" Race said as he grabbed the hand that Mush offered to him to stand.   
  
"I-I-Ise just thinking that's all." Katie didn't want to get into a fight and trying to keep her voice at a deeper level was causing her to stutter.   
  
"What youse thinking about?" Mush was being kind to counter act Race's obvious dislike of the new kid.  
  
"H-H-How I-I-Ise gonna get a job." Katie finally forced out.   
  
"Well wes can help youse there. Why not become a newsie." Mush said before Race could silence him.  
  
"W-w-what's a newsie?" Katie asked, even though she knew full well what a newsies was.  
  
This got Race to start talking, "What's a newsie? A newsie is what brings the news to the masses. Without newsies people don't know nothing." He this with great pride.  
  
"Oh, h-h-how do Ise gets to be a newsie?" maybe she would get to run into this Cowboy again and give him a peace of her mind, or fist.   
  
"Youse can come with us and wes show youse the basics." Katie nodded as if she didn't know what Mush was talking about. "Youse got any where to sleep?" Katie shook her head no. "Don't talk do youse? Well if Kloppman has room Ise bet youse can sleep there. Almost all of the newsies from round here live there."  
  
Katie was a bit hesitant, "Y-y-y-youse all stay in the same room?"   
  
Race snorted, "Of coarse wes newsies not politicians. Youse think youse too good to sleep in the same room with us?" His voice held a bit of a threat, something about this guy rubbed him the wrong way but he couldn't place it.  
  
"N-n-no it's j-j-just that," Katie stopped not wanting to get into a fight with someone who had offered her a job, "n-n-never mind."   
  
"Youse know if youse gonna be a newsie youse gonna need a nick name." Mush said, trying to break the tension. "Wes can call youse Stutters."   
  
"W-w-why do I-I-Ise need a nickname?" Katie didn't like the idea of being called stutters but the more she tried to repress her stuttering the worse it became.  
  
"Cause it makes it harder for the bulls to find youse that's why." Race said in exasperation, "Youse do know what Bulls are don't youse?"   
"T-t-they's the coppers right?" Katie said  
  
"Yes they's the coppers. Now at this here lodging house, Kloppman lets us stay here for 6 cents a night." Race started to explain how things work, "Wes work for the World, Kloppman wakes us up in the morning and wes are expected to be in before he locks the door. Our leader is Jack Kelly, wes listen to him cause he's fair with the things he says. If youse don't listen to him then youse on the street, got it?"   
  
"Y-y-yes. So w-w-when do Ise start s-s-selling papes?" Katie asked.  
"Tomorrow, wes done for the day and Ise don't feel like going back to the distribution office to get more papes." Race spoke, "Come on Ise guess wes go introduce youse to everyone, wes always eat at Tibby's youse don't have to come if youse don't wanna but it is a way to find out if youse selling right."   
  
The newsies lead Stutters to Tibby's. She instantly recognized it as the establishment she had been caught at two years before, and slightly stiffened. Mush noticed her stiffening and thought it was because the new guy was scared, "Don't worry about anyone in there, they's all real nice guys even Race is a nice guy, normally don't act like this." Katie nodded then followed her "mentors" into the restaurant.  
  
The place was packed with newsies of all shapes and sizes. Most of the activity seemed to be focused around a table where some newsies were talking. That was the table Race led Katie too. He went up to the group and picked up the smaller kid, "Move it shortie. Ise got a new guy to introduce to youse all. Stutters this here is the Walking Mouth, Les, Kid Blink, and this is Cowboy, or Jack Kelly, our leader. Gentleman this here is Shane, what's youse name again?" Race stopped for a second realizing he hadn't gotten Katie's full alias.  
Katie was a bit in shock, not only was she in the restaurant where Snyder had caught her the guy who was responsible for her getting caught was the leader of the group she was going to work for. Race noticed that she was a bit distracted, "Hey Stutters, what's your last name."   
  
"I-I-Ise Shane Kelly." Katie said using her new first name along with the name she had given Snyder when she went into the Refuge.  
  
"Youse last name is Kelly? At least wes know youse can't be related to Jack least not with that black hair."   
  
"I-I-Ise wouldn't be any ways since his real last name is Sullivan." Katie realized her mistake too late to stop herself.   
  
"How's youse know my last name kid?" Jack stood up in his seat only to be pulled back down by the Walking Mouth.  
  
"I-I-Ise in the Refuge for two years before I-I-Ise got out. E-E-Everyone knows the story of how the infamous Jack "Cowboy" Kelly got out in Governor Roosevelt's carriage, and also how Snyder was always looking for him and had it in for a guy named Sullivan. I-I-Ise just put 2 and 2 together and f-f-figured youse was one and the same." Katie spoke using facts and half facts to explain herself.  
  
"See Jack nothing to worry about, the kid didn't know. By the way, I am David Jacobs, better known as the Walking Mouth." Dave spit on his hand and held it out for a shake. Katie hesitated but followed his example, succeeding on keeping a grimace off her face.   
  
Her hesitation was caught by the newsies who had gathered around and they all laughed, Dave seeing her confusion decided to explain it to her, "See I did the same thing when I first meet Jack, only I wouldn't shank hands with him at all." Katie just nodded her head.   
  
Jack was trying to figure out the new kid and decided he should ask some questions, "So Stutters, right?" Katie grimaced but nodded, "How old are youse, 12, 13?"   
  
"I-I-Ise 15, and Ise an orphan and Ise lived at the Refuge for 2 years for something Ise didn't do." Katie figured that answering questions before they were asked would save her from coming up with a story that wouldn't fit later on.   
  
"Well youse a scrawny 15 ain't youse?" Race commented.  
"And youse not?" Katie countered, for the first time not stuttering.  
  
"Race quit picking on the kid, even though he stops stuttering when you do. Stutters Ise sure don't remember youse being at the Refuge when Ise there." Jack commented suspiciously.  
  
Katie thought on her feet though, "I-I-Ise tend to blend in that's all."   
"Youse blend in? Youse stick out like a soar thumb here." Race didn't heed Jack's warning and was surprised when Katie swung out and hit him. He would have fought back but Jack stopped him.   
  
"Alright youse, Stutters youse can start selling tomorrow. Ise gonna put youse with Race and Mush," Race started to mumble under his breath but Jack silenced him with a look, "Don't complain Race or youse gonna sell with him on youse own. Ise ain't gonna have my guys fighting like sea gulls over a piece of bread got it?" Both Race and Katie nodded, "Right then, Stutters, youse got money?"   
Katie looked Jack straight in the eye, "Y-y-yes Ise got some."   
  
"Good, Kloppman ain't gonna charge youse for the first night, but youse gonna need it for papes tomorrow. Race show Stutters here to the lodging house. Snipeshooter," Jack raised his voice, a smaller newsie pushed his way to the front of the crowd that had gathered at the table. "Snipes youse gonna move over to an empty bunk, Stutters here and Race is gonna be neighbors. And if they don't start getting along they's gonna end up bunkmates got it?"   
  
Both Katie and Race nodded after shooting each other dirty looks. Mush started to go with them, but Jack stopped him, "No Mush youse are staying here it's gonna be just Stutters and Race." The crowd parted as Race and Katie left, both smoldering, while there were some that wanted to see if a fight was going to erupt Jack seemed to have a firm hand on the situation and no one followed them out of Tibby's or to the bunk house. 


	7. Making Friends

AN: I'm back...*Scuffling noises are heard* Hey don't run away :( Here I go and write 2 chapters and you all run away. *pouts* oh where is the second chapter, it'll be up later. It is almost Midnight now and I want to do some more on my other backstory before I post it. But I should be posting that sometime this weekend, at least the first couple of chapters. I'll probably post the 8th chapter to SAIL(ain't it a cute shortcut?) Toward the beginning of next week, probably Tuesday, but until I post the first chater of my Kit story here is something to hold you over.   
  
  
Race and Katie walked around Manhattan, Katie could tell that Race was purposefully trying to get her lost, but luckily she remembered a lot from when she lived there 2 years earlier. Finally he took her up to a building with a sign that read, "Newsboys Lodging House."   
  
"Here youse be, youse new home. Come on in Ise guess Ise can show youse around." Race said with a sigh as he took the new 'guy' in. "Hey Kloppman, this here is Stutters, Jack said wes got room for him."  
  
An older man came from a back room, "He did, did he? Well he's lucky that Ise gots room." He looked Katie up and down then winked at her, "So this is the new guy? Well Stutters hope youse don't mind these bums they make a mess and barely wake up in the morning."   
  
Katie wondered if that wink meant what she thought it meant, "No I-I-Ise can always, 'help' wake them though if y-y-youse needs it." Katie smiled at the thought of waking up Jack or even Race.   
  
"I'll keep that in mind. Well Race, show this new guy up to his bunk." Kloppman was trying not to laugh as he spoke.   
  
"Come on Stutters, everyone else is gonna be at Medda's and Ise ain't miss that for youse." Race quickly showed Katie around, and she vowed that she would be up and ready to go long before the newsies were, there was no way she was going to get caught.  
  
The walk to Medda's was a silent one, Race was more intent on just getting there then getting Katie lost, which she was happy about as she didn't know this part of the borough as well as the part near Tibby's and Newspaper Row. Race had been right it looked as if all the newsies in Manhattan had converged on Irving Hall. Race went to sit with his friends and Katie followed, a bit lost but willing to make the best of it.   
  
She sat down at a table near the back and waited for a waitress or someone to come over for her to order a drink. As she sat looking at the stage she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to look and there stood Bryon, her cousin. He had gained a lot of height and muscle over the past two years and Katie guessed he was a bouncer because of his dress. "Hey there Brat, I thought I saw you come in. You gonna give me a hug?"   
  
Katie debated how to answer her cousin, then motioned for him to sit down, "Bryon I am surprised you have the guts to even say hello to me. You know what I have been going through for the past two years?"  
  
"Hey hold up there Kid I know you're mad but I had to lay low for a while. Medda don't even know I am only 17 you better not ruin it for me." Bryon sat back looking at the girl. Race noticed that something was going on at the table and came walking over.   
  
"Hey Stutters this guy bugging youse?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"I ain't bugging anyone here," Bryon started but Katie cut him off.  
"H-h-he's my cousin, wes j-j-just having a bit of a family reunion that's all." Bryon raised his eyebrows in response to Katie's lowered voice and the stutter.  
  
"Well if he bugs youse too much just come sit with the rest of us." Race seemed gracious in his offer.  
"I-I-Ise do that, but Bryon is my c-c-cousin don't think he can bug me too much." Race nodded and went back to his table where the incident seemed to be forgotten.  
  
Bryon on the other hand wasn't going to let the incident die, "Katie girl, these boys, they think you're a guy don't they?"  
Katie nodded, "Yeah, I need a job and this is probably the best for me. You were a newsie why can't I be one?"  
  
"I not so sure I want my cousin living with a bunch of guys." Bryon sat back with his arms crossed.  
"You don't have much of a choice Bryon, and they think I am a guy. If you don't want me ruining your job you betta not ruin mine." Katie looked at him. Bryon nodded in agreement.  
  
"So what are they calling you?"   
"Stutters, I guess cause when I try to lower my voice I start to stutter." Katie looked a bit disgusted, "I want a new name, doubt I'll get it, though."   
"Well then guess you are a newsie. Well I better get back to work, go join them Stutters. And don't worry I won't be ruining this for you."   
  
"Thanks Bryon, I bet I'll see you a lot."   
"Yeah the newsies are in here at least once every two weeks. Later my cousin."  
"Later large overgrown oaf."   
  
Katie ducked his swipe and walked over to the table where Mush, Race, Jack and Kid Blink were sitting with some other newsies playing poker. She pulled up a chair and sat in it backwards resting her chin on the back. She watched the game as it was being played, she could follow it for the most part and was intently watching everyone's poker faces to see who was the easiest to crack.   
  
Jack, Race, Kid Blink and a guy that Katie hadn't met yet had the best poker faces out of the five playing. The other boy couldn't seem to keep a smile off of his face and it was obvious that he was losing. The game was almost over when Katie had joined the table and before she could get to bored it was over with Race winning. Mush took it upon himself to introduce Katie to the rest of the table. "Guy this here is Stutters, Stutters this is Crutchy, and Skittery, they's from Manhattan. The rest of the guys here is from Brooklyn, that's Rounder, Falcon, and the illustrious leader Spot Conlon."  
  
Katie spit shook with the guys, saving Spot Conlon for last. He wasn't much to look at, kinda short and also kinda cute. But he had an air about him that seemed to say don't mess with me. Katie shook hands with him also but was cautious about where she looked. She remembered hearing stories about a Conlon at the Refuge and she figured he wasn't a guy that she should cut up too.  
  
"So Stutters, youse ever played poker?" Race asked.   
Katie shrugged, "Once or twice before."   
"Here wes deal youse in." Race began to shuffle the cards.  
  
"I-I-Ise don't got dough." Katie tried to find a way out of playing, it wasn't that she didn't want to play she just figured that playing with her only dollar would be a bad idea. Before she could say much more though some change was slapped down on the table near her.   
  
"I'll pay for Stutters game." Katie looked up and into Bryon who was grinning at her like an idiot. She glared at him before shrugging and gathering up the change.   
  
"N-N-Never mind than I-I-Ise in." She picked up the cards that Race had dealt her and soon the game was under way. She won some of the smaller pots but not wanting to lose Bryon any money pulled out to watch rather early.   
  
"Youse scared to play Stutters?" Race taunted as she pulled out.  
"N-N-no just don't need to show y-y-youse up me first day here." She countered with a smile. Race was a bit flabbergasted but Medda's appearance on stage kept him from retaliating.   
  
Katie took the opportunity to watch the newsies as they watched Medda perform. They all seemed to be entranced by the older woman, especially the older ones. They knew all the words to all the songs that Medda performed and Katie realized that audience participation was a big part of the performance. She turned back to the stage and watched all the while wishing to be back at the Lodging House and in a bed to catch a couple hours of sleep.   
  
The night ended much to late in Katie's opinion but she kept that to herself as the newsies started back to the Lodging House. No one asked her opinion of the night or really talked to her, which caused Katie to fight to stay awake. They made it back to the lodging house just in time, Katie climbed wearily to the top of the stairs and fell into the bunk that was hers asleep as her head hit the pillow. Drifting off to a dream world where playing cards and whiskey bottles danced the can-can.  
  



	8. New Life

Katie was awaked by Kloppman waking the newsies. It was obvious that newsies weren't morning people, not even Kid Blink or Crutchy seemed to be happy to be up. She slowly sat up, shaking the sleep cobwebs from her head. She looked over at the small table between her bunk and the one occupied by Race. A slow smile spread across her face, there in a cup sat a half smoked cigar. Before she could reach for it though a hand reached and took the cigar. She looked over and saw Snipes with it in his mouth.   
  
Race came over then and reached blindly for his precious stogie. "Hey Stutters give me back my cigar."   
"I-I-Ise don't got it." Katie looked as innocent as possible not looking at either Race or Snipes.   
"Well it ain't here and youse are just sitting there." Race looked at her accusingly.  
  
Jack came over and saw that Snipes had the cigar, "Race lay off the guy, how normally takes youse cigars?"  
Raced looked at Jack, "Snipes but he don't sleep there any more."   
Jack just pointed at the younger newsie who took off running with Race chasing him, "Snipes give me it."   
  
Jack sat down on the bunk next to Katie, "Don't mind them it's a…whatcha call it…happens all the time."   
"Regular occurrence?" Katie tried to supply helpfully.   
  
"Yeah that. So kid youse ready to sell?"   
"I-I-Ise guess."  
"Well youse selling with Race, come on, lets get going. Alright wes got papes to sell boys." Jack called out to his newsies and they all began tramping down the stairs where Kloppman counted heads on the way out.   
  
Katie sat back watching the boys work their way towards the distribution docks. They seemed to be more interested in playing than working. They stopped at the nuns stall to get a piece of stale bread and cold coffee. Katie watched a woman wander through the newsies calling out for a Patrick. They finally made it to the distribution dock. They stood outside the gate chit chatting. David and Les came up as they spoke and David came to talk to Katie.   
  
"So how was your night at the lodging house?" He started the conversation pleasantly.  
"F-f-fine, except that Race a-a-accused me of stealing his cigar when Snipes had it." Katie wasn't sure about David.   
  
He leaned in to near her ear, "I know you're a girl."   
Katie leaned back and looked at him in shock, "What?"   
"You're a girl aren't you? Don't worry I'm not gonna tell any of them." Dave reassured her.   
  
Katie lowered her voice, hoping that no one else heard Dave's pronouncement, "Yes I am, please don't tell them."   
"I won't, your secrets safe. But they aren't stupid, no matter how they act. They'll figure it out eventually." Dave looked at her seriously, and Katie looked at her shoes. "Don't keep it from them or it makes it worse."   
  
Before Katie could respond the bell rang and the gates began to open. She followed the line of newsies in to get her first set of papers. "How many kid?" the man behind the snarled at her.   
"T-t-thirty papes." Katie got out. The guy grumbled back to his assistants and they brought her the papes. Katie counted them and went to stand by Race.  
  
"That's Weisel and the two thugs with him are the Delancy brudders. They's all a bunch of jerks, try not to cross them too early." Katie nodded.   
Some non-verbal signal was given and the newsies trooped out to sell. Mush decided to chance it and sold with Race and Katie. As they walked to the races, both Race and Mush shared tips and showed the new "guy" how to sell papes. Katie watched them sell for a while before trying it for herself. She was fair at it, her voice didn't project as the guy's voices did but Mush assured her it would take time.   
  
Finally all the papes were sold and Race went to go bet some money down on a "hot tip" he had heard about. They watched a couple of the races. Katie loved it. She even picked the right horse out her first time, which had Race grumbling about beginner's luck. It was getting dark as they headed back to the lodging house.   
  
"So Stutters what did youse think about me racetrack?" Race asked with pride.  
"It was just f-f-fine. I-I-Ise had a ball." Katie remembered to stutter in the nick of time. "W-W-When can wes go back?"  
  
"Now here's a guy after me own heart. Youse know kid Ise didn't like youse when youse showed up here, but youse okay in me book now." Race threw his arm around Katie's shoulder, "So youse got any tips for me?"   
  
Both Katie and Mush began laughing hysterically, "M-m-me got tips for y-y-youse?"   
"Well youse were the one that won right?" Race tried to look a little offended but ended up joining in their laughter.   
  
Jack and the rest of the guys looked up as they came in, and when Jack saw that Race and Stutters were getting along he smiled hugely as if to say, see that's because of me. Katie headed for bed, shrugging off the teasing she got because of it and curled up pulling the covers over her head. She was out like a light and didn't wake till morning.  
  
After her first week or so life fell into a pattern, Race and Mush became two of her close friends and most days they found themselves selling at the racetrack. Katie also started to put on some weight from the fact that she was eating with more regularity. She also began to fill out, in her mind unfortunately. Dave was true to his word and hadn't breathed a word about her gender to anyone as far as she could tell. As she began to get use to using a deeper voice her stutter began to disappear, only to return when she was either very nervous or laughing. She had begun to make a life for herself and she enjoyed every minute of it.   



	9. Oh I didn't tell you??

Quick Note: Kora You were right ;)  
  
  
Katie sat looking at her hands. She was at Medda's not by choice but because she had been sent there when they had found out the truth. It had all be so nice but now it had come crashing down all because of those stupid Delanceys. She thought back to the week before, back when everything was still real.   
  
Everyone had gotten use to the new kid in the bunkhouse. Stutters had been a great pal someone most felt they could trust with their lives. He was an okay poker player who had the same attitude whether he won or lost. Stutters also was a quite kid who hadn't even tried to get a girl, even though some girls had crushes on the boy with the black hair and dark eyes with their long eyelashes. He was teased at times for being too girly but that stopped when the offenders came away with a black eye or a bruised nose.   
  
Katie loved her life as a newsie, the only dark spot was the fact that she had to go to Medda's. It wasn't that she disliked Medda, Medda was like a mother to her. It was that she hated sitting surrounded by the newsies who all had varying degrees of crushes on Medda. What Katie did like was that on days she got done selling early she could go to Medda's and have some girl time, dropping her accent and talk to Medda as herself not as Stutters. None of the newsies knew about her trips though and most figured that she loved going to Medda's as much as they did.  
  
About a week before it all came crashing down Katie began to get very testy. The guys noticed it and teased Stutters about getting a temper. When Race mentioned it Katie hit him hard, giving him a bloody nose. She felt horrible after words, but didn't apologize to him saying that he deserved it for teasing her, she wasn't getting testy. The guys dropped their teasing after that, not wanting to risk a bloody nose of their own. For the next couple of days went by with out incident and most of the newsies forgot about it.   
  
The Day came with little notice. Katie had woken with a bit of a stomachache, actually she was in serious pain but didn't want to stay inside. She dressed and was at the distribution office before any one else even the guys she roomed with. Her stomach was killing her when she went to get her papers. The Delanceys chose that day to pick on the newest newsie. They thought she was a boy, just like almost everyone else she had met since she had left the Refuge two months before.  
  
She had just gotten done selling for the morning. Her stomach was killing and she decided to go back to the boarding house in hopes a nap would make her feel better. She wasn't watching where she was going because she was concentrating on not screaming from the pain. She suddenly found herself walking into a wall of human flesh. "Hey kid what's the big idea?"   
  
Katie looked up, and the little color that was in her face left. She had the misfortune to have run into Oscar Delancey. "Kid me brudder asked youse a question." Morris called for her to answer.  
  
Katie gluped, "I-I-It was an a-a-accident. I-I-Ise sorry." Her stutter was for real as her eyes darted around looking for an escape. She didn't see the first blow coming. Her ears rang and she saw stars.   
  
"That ain't enough kid." Oscar said as he pulled back to punch her again. Katie didn't even try to fight back. Any pain the Delanceys inflicted would take her mind off the pain she had already been experiencing. A couple blows landed on her stomach, knocking the breath out of her. She mercifully passed out after the second or third punch to her head.   
  
She woke up disoriented, this wasn't the alley where she had met the Delancey's. Some one walked in, "Hello there. I'm Doctor Martin. How are you feeling?"   
  
Katie blinked trying to figure out where she was, "Ise been betta. Where am I?"   
"You were brought here by some newsies, they said they found you in an alley bleeding. They insist you are a guy." The doctor looked at Katie strangely. "Why do they think you are a guy?"   
  
"Cause they never asked." Katie managed to reply. "Youse haven't told them Ise a goil have youse?" Her eyes opened in panic.  
"No but I might have to. They are worried because you are bleeding."   
  
Katie looked at him, "Ise bleeding? Am I okay?"  
The doctor looked a bit uncomfortable, "You will be fine. You haven't had your woman's time yet?" Kit gave him a questioning look. "I'll take that as a no. Do you have any female adults you can trust?"   
  
"Medda Larkson? Why?"   
"I think your friends should go get her." The doctor was definitely uncomfortable now. "You feel up to visitors?"  
  
"Yeah Ise guess so. Ise ain't gonna bleed to death?"   
"No you won't bleed to death. I'll let Ms Larkson explain it to you. You can have 2 friends at a time." The doctor tried to reassure her before going out to get the first of her friends.   
  
Race and Mush came in first. "Hey Stutters, youse look like youse been run over by a cart." Race commented.   
"Nah only the Delanceys." Katie didn't even try to stutter, it hurt too much.  
"Wes gonna take care of those guys. They's not gonna bother youse any more." Mush promised.   
  
"Thanks guys, can youse wait till Ise better. Ise wanna deliver a couple punches me self." Katie cracked a small smile but stopped when it hurt.  
"So when does the doc say youse can leave?" Race asked.   
"He says Ise can leave tomorrow, but Ise gotta talk to Medda first." Katie answered trying not to make a big deal out of it.  
  
"Youse gotta talk to Medda? What ever for?" Mush sounded surprise.  
"Ise got no clue but he says it's important." Katie said as she tried to sit up. Race went over to put a pillow behind her head but when he went to put his arm across her chest he pulled back.  
  
He looked her up and down. "Youse...Youse...Youse a-a-a." He didn't finish the sentence but stared at Katie in shock.  
"What's a matter Race?" Mush looked confused.   
  
"Stutters youse...youse..." Race still stopped before he could finish the sentence.  
"What about Stutters?" Mush tried to get his friend to finish his sentence.  
"He's a GOIL!" Race finally got it out.  
  
Katie lost all of her color, she had been found out. Mush looked at Race like he had grown another head. "Stutters not a goil."   
  
"Yes he is!" Race started backing up from the side of Katie's bed as if afraid she would have something to contaminate him.  
"Stutters what is this jerk going on about?" Mush looked from Katie to Race in total confusion.  
  
"He's right. Ise a goil." Katie tried not to meet Mush's eyes.   
Mush looked at her in shock. "Youse became a goil?"   
"No Ise a goil. Ise been on for fifteen years."  
  
The look of betrayal in Mush's eyes was too much and Katie began to cry. Neither boy said anything as they left. No one else came in after they left which made Katie cry harder. Medda came by later that day and signed her out.   
  
Medda brought her back to Irving Hall and gave her a room to stay in. After Katie had finished crying, Medda explained to her the facts of life. Katie wanted to scream, cry and just sleep. She settled on crying herself to sleep wishing for someone to visit her.   
  
That had been three days ago, her only visitors since were Medda and Bryon. Bryon tried to comfort her, which brought back the friendship that had been there when they were younger. She poured out her entire story to Medda, who listened with a sympathetic ear and a shoulder to cry on. Katie refused to see anyone besides her cousin and Medda. She figured that none of the newsies would want to see her anyway, but refusing to see them meant she could put off the inevitable until she was ready to explain it all to them.  



	10. Well It's Like This

"Medda Ise don't care what she says Ise going up there and Ise gonna talk to her." Race stood at the bottom of the stairs that lead up to the living quarters Medda had for her girls. Race and Mush had come by every day since Stutters, or what ever her name was, had come back from the hospital.   
  
"She doesn't want to see anyone Racetrack I can't let you go up there." Medda stood in the determined newsboy's way. She had promised Katie that no one was going to disturb her and she was going to keep to that promise.  
  
"The at least tell me, is she okay?" Race was ready to take drastic measures. This girl was his friend, at least she had been and he wanted some answers.  
  
"She is fine. She doesn't want to see any of you boys just yet." Medda tried to soothe Race. It wasn't working. Race shrugged and planted himself on the bottom stair.   
  
"Ise gonna sit here till she talks to me." Race said crossing his arm and sticking out his feet, crossing them at the ankles. He pulled out his ever-present deck of cards and shuffled them before laying them out for a game of Solitaire. Medda sighed and went off to work on some material.   
  
Race waited till Medda had been gone for a while, then he slowly began making his way up the stairs. He had seen which room Medda and the bouncer Bryon had been going in and out of for the past four days. He didn't knock on the door just went in. Stutters was on the bed asleep. Race looked at her, the bruises were fading event though anyone could tell she had been in a fight. The angriest of her bruises was on her cheek it was still a dark black, it made him wince just to look at it. As he watched her sleep he saw her eyes flutter.   
  
She slowly stretched, opening her eyes. She stopped moving when she saw him in the door. The corners of her mouth turned down and she gave him a look that made him feel 2 inches tall. "What are youse here for?"   
  
"Ise worried about youse and wanted to make sure youse okay."  
"Well youse seen me youse can leave now."   
Race went as if he was going to leave but he stopped and turned back around, "No Ise not gonna leave till Ise got some answers."   
  
"What if Ise don't wanna give them to youse?" Katie sneered.   
"Then Ise not gonna leave till Ise get them, even if wes stay here till wes both old an gray." Race said as he pulled out the chair from the vanity in the room and sat in it putting his feet on the bed.  
  
"Don't put youse feet on the bed. At least take youse shoes off." Katie demanded.  
Race shrugged, but complied as he took off his shoes and put his stocking feet on the bedspread.   
Katie giggled. "Youse socks got holes in them." Race shrugged.   
They sat staring at each other till finally Katie sighed, "Okay Race what answers do youse want."   
"Well a name would be nice, and why youse acted like a guy." Race said with out much thought.   
  
"Got it all planned out don't youse?" Katie sighed before continuing. "All right. Me real name is Kaitlyn Elizabeth O'Riely. Ise acting like a guy cause Ise had to find someone and Ise knew Ise not gonna find him as a goil."  
  
"So have youse found him Kaitlyn?"   
"First off call me Katie. And yes Ise found him my first day. Now all Ise got to do is give him a piece of me mind then Ise gonna have hid out for a while."   
  
"Who was youse looking for?" Race was a bit curious.  
"Francis Sullivan. He was the reason Ise got put in the Refuge, Ise spent 2 years in that place because of him." Katie looked ticked off.   
  
Race looked at her in shock, "Youse looking for Jack? What ever for? How in the world is he the reason youse was in the Refuge?"   
"He ran into me after Ise had liberated an apple from a cart for me meal. Snyder came up yelling for a Sullivan and Ise ran cause Ise knew Snyder was looking for me too. Ise followed him into Tibby's and he ducked under a table. Ise got caught."   
  
"Ise remember that, youse was the goil with the black hair?" Race's eyes opened in shock and realization of who this girl was.  
"Yes youse was there?"   
"Yeah Ise at the table Jack hid under."   
"Figures. Well like Ise said as soon as Ise give him a piece of me mind Ise going into hiding."   
  
Race decided to try to get Katie's mind off her line of thought, "So why youse on the street anyway?"  
"Ise told youse the first day, me family is all dead, except for Bryon; he's my cousin." Katie said with a shrug. Race nodded in sympathy.  
  
They sat chatting for a bit longer, not really saying much of anything. "So youse wanna come back to the lodging house with me? Everyone's wondering about youse."   
"Youse didn't tell them Ise a goil?" Katie looked at him in surprise.  
"Well yeah wes did, but they's didn't exactly believe us." Race looked a bit ashamed.   
  
Katie thought about it for a second. "Get out an let me get some clothes on, then Ise guess Ise can go face all them." Race scooted out of the door, leaning on the other side of it while Katie got dressed. She pulled on the clothing that Medda had left her, it was clothing she assumed Bryon had outgrown earlier. It was a bit big, but she wanted it that way.  
  
Race almost fell in when she opened the door, but caught himself. "Should teach youse not to lean on doors." Katie commented with a laugh. "Let me tell Medda Ise leaving then wes can go." Race shrugged and they both descended the stairs. Medda was standing at the bottom giving Race a disappointed look.   
"I though you were going to stay put till she came down."   
"Ise did. See she came down." Race pointed out. Medda hid a smile as she gave him a look.   
  
"Medda Ise gonna go to the lodging house and explain some things. Ise be back later." Katie said as she pulled Race toward the door. Race followed with a wave of his hat.   
  
The walk to the lodging house was quiet. Neither newsie spoke, Race was still trying to figure out why Katie would want to explain anything to any of the guys and also tried to guess at their reactions. The trip was over much to quickly for Katie's tastes she waved hello to Kloppman who waved back, happy to see that she was okay. They climbed the stairs and Katie listened to the voices that were coming from beyond the doorway with some dread.   
  
As they entered the room, most of the newsies stopped talking. Katie went to gather her things from her old bunk. Jack came over first, "Hey Stutters that is one nice shiner."   
  
Katie cocked her head and looked at Jack. Before anyone could react she punched him hard in the chin, causing him to fall over the bunk and onto his back. "Don't call me Stutters." She looked at the rest of the very shocked newsies, "Ise came over here to tell youse Ise lied. Ise a goil and now Ise leaving. It was a riot." Katie descended the stairs and made it as far as the door.   
  
She had no idea who pulled her back up the stairs but sudden she was back in the bunk room, on her bunk with a bunch of very angry newsies looking at her. Race stood next to her, as if not sure whether to be mad at her or protect her. Jack came over holding his chin, "So what are wes gonna call youse?"   
  
Katie wasn't expecting that, "Mills."   
"Why?"   
"Cause that is where youse got me sent for two years." Katie looked at Jack with undisguised hatred.  
  
"What are youse talking about?" Jack voice almost squeaked in shock.  
"Remember running into a street rat in an alley with an apple. Snyder started to chase youse and youse made it to Tibby's where youse hid under a table." Jack nodded and Katie continued. "Ise that street rat. Cause of youse Snyder caught me and put me in the Refuge. Ise worked in the mill for 2 years before Ise finally got out. All thanks to you." The venom dripped from her words shocking everyone.  
  
"That why youse punched me?" Jack questioned.   
Katie sighed, "Yeah that's why Ise punched youse."   
"Decent enough reason. So what youse gonna do now that wes know youse a goil? Youse still wanna sell?" Katie looked at Jack in shock.  
"Youse gonna let me sell?"   
"Don't see why not."  
  
"Then Ise guess Ise gonna sell still then." Katie put her things back under her pillow and lay down on the bunk staring at the bottom of the bunk above her. The newsies realized they weren't going to get any answers from her that night and went back to their previous activities. Katie soon fell asleep almost comforted that she was back where she felt at home.   



	11. Into History

Jack walked over the bridge to Brooklyn. Finding out that Stutters was a girl was a surprise, but finding out that Medda and Kloppman had known had ticked him off. He decided that talking to Spot might be a good idea. He slipped out before Kloppman had come to wake everyone and had covered most of the ground between the Lodging House and Brooklyn before mid morning. Jack figured that Spot's lookouts would tell him that he was coming and decided to just head toward the docks.   
  
"So Jacky-boy decided to grace Brooklyn with youse presence?" Spot came up behind Jack causing him to jump. "What's got youse spooked?"   
Jack turned to the leader of Brooklyn. "Hey Spot, how's it rolling?"   
  
"Not bad, not bad. So what has the leader of the perpetually happy Manhattan newsies doing in Brooklyn? Ise don't see youse Walking Mouth, can't be a strike." Spot joked, which caused Jack to smile a bit.   
  
"Nah no strike, Pulitzer knows betta then that. Actually Ise got a bit of a problem and figured youse might be able to help out."   
"What sort of problem is that Jacky?"   
"Well Spotty"   
"Don't call me that Kelly."   
"Then don't call me Jacky."   
"Alright, so what's the problem Kelly?"   
  
"See it's like this. Ise found out one of me newsies was hiding something big from the rest of us." Jack explained in vague terms. "Ise also found out that Kloppman and Medda knew that this newsie was hiding this stuff from us. But Ise already let the kid come back to selling."  
  
"Well so theres youse problem. Youse let the guy back in too easy."   
"Nah me problem is that the newsie is a goil." Jack's voice was flat though his eyes flashed.  
  
"Youse got a goil as a newsie? Which of youse guys was saying that they was a guy? Ise thought youse knew most of those guys since youse first started."   
"Ise know all my guys well. She was a new guy. Youse met her."   
"Ise did?" Spot thought about it for a second, "Youse mean that kid, what's the name Stutters was a goil?"   
  
"Yeah Stutters is a goil. But she don't like Stutters. Ise already told her she could stay. The guys are happy about that. Ise don't care about that, she's proved herself already. She can sell and fight with the best of them. Should have seen the bloody nose Race got for crossing her earlier this week." Jack's voice held a little bit of pride for the act.  
  
"So what's the problem. Youse obviously don't mind her being there." Spot was a bit confused, and curious. A girl in the bunkroom would never work in Brooklyn, but it could feasibly work in Manhattan, those guys were just too easy going.  
  
"The problem is that Medda and Kloppman knew. They could have told me, or given me some warning or something." Jack looked offended. Spot saw a bottle and pulled out his slingshot and took aim then let it go breaking the bottle. "Youse just gonna break bottles or do youse got some pearl of wisdom tucked in that pocket with youse marbles."   
  
"Ise thinking. Well not much Ise can tell youse except good luck with a goil in the bunkroom. As for Kloppman and Medda, they's adults. They's probably figured that youse would figured it out on youse own sooner or later, and wanted youse to deal with it not them."  
  
Jack nodded as he considered the advice, "What about the goil?"   
"What about her? Youse seem to want to keep her around. Youse said she could sell papes and could fight. Let her stay, probably keep youse guys in line or something. Speaking of fights, where did youse get that nice bruise on youse chin?"   
Jack's cheeks flushed, "Ise said she was a good fighter, she took a swipe at me for calling her Stutters that's all."   
  
"Youse way too soft Jacky-boy what if it got round town that youse got soaked by a goil?"   
"First off Ise didn't get soaked second, it was one swipe. And Ise ain't gonna let it get out, she does it again Ise soak her." Jack said off-handedly. "Thanks for the 'help' Conlon. See youse round."   
  
Jack and Spot spit shook (Am I the only one who thinks this is totally disgusting?) and Jack made his way back to Manhattan. He left Brooklyn just a bit happier than when he had come in and now it was time to go find the girl and figure out what to do with her.  
  
Katie went out with Race and Mush as always. She was waiting for them when they got up and the three left together to get their papers. Katie couldn't help but notice that Mush and Race were acting strange to her. They were treating her differently. She really couldn't put her finger on it but something had changed. After they had sold for a while it finally came to her. They were treating her like she was glass, and Katie was beginning to resent that. She didn't say anything though until they got to Tibby's and she noticed that all the newsies were treating her the same way.   
  
She finally stood up disgusted with their actions. "Alright all youse guys listen up." She got up on her chair and got the attention of all the newsies at the restaurant. "First off Ise not gonna let youse guys act like this. Just cause Ise now a goil doesn't mean Ise changed my personality. Just means Ise can't go around with me shirt off. Secondly Stop treating me like Ise gonna break if youse say something wrong. Did Ise start crying if youse bumped into me or if youse told a dirty joke before?"   
  
The guys looked at each other then shook their heads. "Well if Ise didn't do it before then Ise not gonna do it now. Finally Ise want youse to call me Mills, not Stutters or Hey Youse Goilie. Got it? Ise not changed Ise don't wanna be treated any differently. And if youse start doing that youse might find me fist in youse face got it?" The guys nodded again. And Katie sat down in her chair again.   
  
"So Stut...Ise mean Mills youse wanna hear this joke Ise heard while youse was gone?" Race leaned in and Mills nodded. Race went on to tell the joke while Mills just sat and listened. She laughed at the appropriate time, glad that at least in part she was back into the group. She knew that it would take time but hopefully the guys would see that she hadn't changed as a person even though she was now "officially" a girl.   
  
Jack came in before everyone left and called for their attention. "Okay Ise gonna make this quick, wes gonna let the goil." He was interrupted by someone yelling, "IT'S MILLS"  
  
"Alright then wes gonna let Mills stick around. But wes gonna lay some ground rules. No one is gonna treat her different. She is still the same person, just a goil." Jack was interrupted yet again, this time by Race.   
  
"Hey Jack she already went over this. Wes ain't gonna treat her any differently and if wes do she's gonna soak us." This caused all the guys to laugh and Jack joined in as he made his way over to where Mills was sitting with Race and Mush.   
  
"Well Mills Ise guess Ise gonna officially welcome youse into being a newsie. Don't give me to much trouble, Ise don't want to renew any of those shiners." Jack held out his hand with a wink about the shiner's comment. Mills stood up and surprised Jack by giving him a hug.   
  
"Nah no more shiners for me thank youse very much. Now come on eat up or youse never gonna make a decent newsie." All the guys broke out in renewed laughter and Mills earned getting her hair ruffled.   
  
***Two years later Same place, same people***  
  
"So Mills how the headlines treating youse?" Jack came and sat next to the raven haired newsie who was now like a sister to almost every one present.   
"They's treating this newsie well. Ise got them all sold off pretty quick today." Mills smirked and Jack pulled on a strand of hair that had escaped from her hat.   
  
"Youse betta put that back up under the cap if youse wanna keep it up."   
Mills shot him a dirty look, "Yeah sure hiding me hair up under a cap keeps people from seeing Ise a goil? Youse must be blind Jacky boy if youse think that."   
  
"Hey Ise can dream can't I?" Jack laughed at her statement knowing how true it was. Over the past two years Katie O'Riely had begun to look more and more like a woman and less like the guy she had tried to impersonate when she had first started as a newsie.   
  
Race came in soon followed by Mush and slowly the restaurant was filled with laughing newsies. They all ate quickly. "So Mills youse gonna sell the afternoon edition or youse wanna go to the track with me?" Race asked, when he didn't get an answer he looked up and saw that Mills was staring at something behind him. He turned to look and there in the doorway were two kids, both blondes one girl and one boy. They looked as if they were looking for something. The restaurant quieted down and the assembled newsies stared at the new comers.   
  
Jack stood up first. Ise Jack Kelly, youse can call me Cowboy. Whose youse be?" And the rest is history.   
  
  
AN: Yeah that is another one done!!. I guess I am really getting good at rushing the endings of these but I can only say I write poor endings. Some one has asked if Mills and Jack are related. No they aren't my only family relationships are the ones between Spot and the Twins, Mills and Bryon, Kit and her cousins, and Tack and her sisters. No one else is related. I have a feeling I didn't quite get my characterization right, but I wanted to bring Spot in some how and this was the only way I could. Sorry if Jack sounds like a bit like Luke Skywalker, whining about things he can't change, I don't mean anything by it. See I did say it would have a happy ending, and it did :) I do keep my promises. Hope you enjoyed it. Give me feedback 


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